22 Answers

9 votes

Don't be fooled by the Base 55 Defense. With Static, paired with Attract, you can cripple your opponent without breaking a sweat. Not to mention that it has great Mixed Sweeping potential, and good Speed and HP to back up that Defense.

With the right moves, you've got a good sweeper in Raichu. Not the best, by any means, but one of the best ones (Being overshadowed by only Jolteon and Electivire).

Your moveset is almost perfect, but Encore is too risky for a Pokemon like Raichu, who is 2HKO'd by (almost) any strong STAB attack. Replace Encore for Attract. I know this doesn't sound very smart, but it's really the best choice.

If you don't like Attract, then you can also try Brick Break for Screen breaking, Bide with a Focus Sash for (90% of the time, at least :P) a guaranteed KO, or Wish for team support!

Pikachu and Raichu's good attacks (Bide, Wish, Charge, Reversal, etc.) are locked away as egg moves, which is a major downside, but these moves are the key to Raichu's success. =D

Switch in on an Electric type attack and start sweeping. Eveything besides Discharge is there for type coverage, and Discharge is obviously there for STAB (and a chance at paralyzing the foe.) EVs are your standard sweeper, and Life Orb helps it sweep better, especially without a Lightningrod boost.

The Pokemon mascot's big brother has always found itself outclassed in past generations, but this is no longer the case. Raichu has finally found itself a place that it can call home, thanks to an excellent Dream World ability in Lightningrod and the introduction of the RU tier. It is one of the three viable Electric-types in the metagame, along with Electivire and Manectric. While the former takes on the role of a mixed attacker, and the latter is a hit-and-run special attacker, Raichu distinguishes itself by being a powerful setup sweeper that can plow through teams after a boost from Nasty Plot. This is aided by the fact that most special walls are weak to Raichu's STAB Electric-type moves.Nasty Plot(Raichu)
@Life Orb
Trait: Lightningrod
Nature: Timid
Moveset
~ Nasty Plot
~ Thunderbolt
~ Hidden Power Ice
~ Encore / Focus Blast
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Speed

Raichu reaches a staggering 558 Special Attack after a boost from Nasty Plot. Despite its frailty, Raichu has an easier time setting up a Nasty Plot courtesy of another nifty move in its repertoire: Encore. The lightning mouse can come in any kind of support or Electric-type move and use Encore, provided that Raichu is faster than its opponent, which it usually is, due to its base 100 Speed. Raichu can then double its Special Attack while the foe switches out. Thunderbolt is a powerful and reliable STAB move, easily crushing common special walls, such as Slowking and Mantine. Hidden Power Ice grants Raichu the excellent BoltBeam coverage, which hits the vast majority of the metagame for at least neutral damage. Focus Blast can be used to hit the Pokemon that do resist this combination, namely Steelix and Lanturn, but the shaky accuracy makes it a poorer option when compared to the general utility of Encore.Go Smogon!

Raichu (Shiny)
Item: Air balloon or Focus sash
Ability: LIghtningrod
Moveset:
Thunderbolt: STAB, Great power.
Attract: Great to stop opponents from attacking
Volt Tackle: STAB, Great power, Bit of recoil but worth it
Grass Knot: Deals with its only weakness which is Ground(Plus most of them are heavy)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hears an Explanation,
You start out with Attract(Only if there opposite Gender) That will decrease the chance of the opponent's Pokémon attacking you, Then Attack, With attract + Attacks Will atleast kill 1-3 Pokémon.

Raichu probably cant take a hit so Foucus sash is there to back it up on that first turn wher ehe takes ahit with the sash set up with agality to make electro ball unstoppable and you know what to do from there.

Body Slam allows for super Parahax with Static as an ability.
Volt Tackle is this thing's signature style of " Emo Battling " Killing itself and others!
Reversal and Endure is a popular choice here, with the Lum Berry to ensure Burn's don't take him down.

Lightningrod is a great ability in a multi-battle, as it draws in Electric type attacks to protect your team while gaining a Special Attack boost from it as well. Light Screen offers team support. Discharge is a great attack, as it damages both opponents and can be used with a Lightningrod or Motor Drive teammate to really do some damage. Focus Blast and HP Ice are coverage.

Thunder: STAB, perfect accuracy in the rain, very powerful with Nasty Plot

Wish: Reliable healing

Thunder Wave: Paralyzes the foe, annoyance

I know Thunder is the only attack move here, but it's pretty hard to take with the rain, STAB, and Nasty Plot. It's PP isn't that low, either.Make sure this guy is holding a Focus Sash. He has bad defense and can be OHKO'd easily. Keep in mind that Wish is a two turn attack, so another option if you don't want Thunder Wave, there's always the annoying Wish-Protect combo.

This set will give Raichu an immunity to Ground Types. Nasty Plot will increase its SAtk. Thunderbolt will be powered up by Nasty Plot and its STAB. Hidden Power [Ice] / Grass Knot will cover its weaknesses if you get taunted and unable to use Magnet Rise .

My number one favorite and favorite electric type Pokemon....RAICHU!!! most people say it sucks in competitive and says Pikachu is a better sweeper but Raichu has gain a bit more better speed, of course it may not out run a Jolteon but can probaley take out a Jolteon and other ground types too so that means this set can lead Raichu to a champion but use it wisely :D sorry if this is long

Thunderbolt is for STAB and 10% of causeing paralysis, Hidden Power Ice is great for takeing away its weakness and can kill those resistant Dragon and Grass types, may kill Garchomp. Nasty Plot Raises Sp.Atk by 2 and Subsituite will set up a litttle wall while you have a bit of time useing Nasty Plot

To use this set you should keep Raichu in part until the opponent sends out a Pokemon that you might think has a electric type move, so quickly switch to Raichu and it will get a imunity and a boost of Sp.Atk by 1 stage, then use Substituite for a little wall that is a bit weak but will use for Nasty Plot and if the opponent uses a stat boosting move (aslong as it doesn't raise Speed, Attack or Sp.Def ) or if the opponent's move misses then Raichu may be able to stay in a little longer but if it does get hit and its substituite does break at least you have you SpAtk up to do some serious damage. If you want hidden power ice you may have to do some IV breeding anyway look it up on here :3 http://3dspedia.com/iv-spreads-hidden-power-types-pokemon-xy/ I sudgest breeing it in HP,Sp.Atk,Sp.Def and HP.

-thunder bolt If you use life orb item or magnet this is the main stab move
grass knot to hit your weakness
almost all ground are heavy
-volt switch to kept mometum
-nasty plot to be ober power but if you want a nasty plot youl need a focus sash

This set is amazing in lower tiers, like RU and NU. First, use Thunder Wave to cripple the opponent. Then you can use Sweet Kiss to confuse the opponent. Attract is extremely situational as you might see a Pokemon with the same gender. Generally this combo is bound to annoy the opponent and you can deal massive damage with confusion damage and Thunderbolt damage. Don't replace Thunderbolt with Volt Tackle because it'll deal recoil damage (which you don't want).

Note: The spreads are there for extra bulk and the nature gives Raichu a good speed.